This May Be Why Vero Will Take Awhile

[PamOKW]

Peggy Fisher's site has a very dramatic picture of the damage to the Vero walkway to the beach. Her other recent reports indicate that there isn't really a good, safe way to enter the beach from anywhere along the shoreline. Disney is also planning to try and "build up" the beach with dredging. While I'm sure there is damage to the building -- cosmetic and water/wind that got inside and did damage -- they really can't open until they have some access to the beach. Guests would not be happy if they could get to the beach in Vero Beach. I also read that Disney is housing many of the emergency workers as are many of the other inns and hotels in the area. I'm sure they are trying to get the residents back up and running and also to get the area in shape for the influx of tourists that come in the winter months (peak season for the area).

I've provided a link to Peggy's site -- it makes me sad to see such a beautiful day and such devastation to the walk.

Seaside Scoop

 

[JimC]

PamOKW - Thanks for posting that. The storm did take a toll. Imagine if you were on your own with your beach property damaged after a hurricane. Having the Disney resources and expertise is certainly one of the benefits we enjoy.

 

[Doug Wolfe]

The member site indicated they will try to do a "soft opening" around November 8th. I hope that is true.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Do you think they will try to restore the dunes to their original location?? I wonder how they do that?? I guess this will keep people from complaining the beach at VB is too narrow.

Pam, thanks for the info and the pictures.

 

[floridafam]

Thanks for the link.

I showed it to my DH, too.

Thanks again.

 

[Doug Wolfe]

If Pam is right about the dredging to build up the beach, this may be a blessing in disguise. My mom has condo's in Seabright, NJ and Pompano Beach, Florida. Dredging at those locations in the past have made the beaches very large.

Who knows. We might have a much better beach at Vero once this is all over.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thanks for the information, sad as it is.

Bobbi

 

[TheWho]

WOW.

I just stood on that walkway this past summer. That picture is chilling.

 

[lenshanem]

In a few weeks will be my seven month window to book VB. We were planning on taking my inlaws for hubby's birthday in early June.

Think all will be OK at that point? I'm guessing they'll let me book. I will be borrowing points.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Thanks for the link Pam. Wow...how heartbreaking to see this and know what all those people living there are going through. It's like those hurricanes just chew you up and then spit you out.
Hoping for the best for Disney's Vero resort and all the people living in the area. My uncle lives only 10 min from here. You can just hear in his voice how the hurricanes this season have disheartened him. You really have to be strong to keep picking up the pieces and moving forward.

 

[lenshanem]

Maria, nice family pics. Are they new?

Your pic of your daughter out on the beach in your sig always makes me smile. She looks identical to a favorite younger cousin of mine.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Thanks Shan
I've had the pics on webshots for awhile now. They're from our trips from the past 2 years. I have lots more I still need to scan and upload. I just now figured I'd link my albums in my siggy. I know I always enjoy looking at other's pics too (like yours).
The pic of my daughter, Heather, on the beach (she's actually standing on the Wabasso beach side) was taken last August. We were in the area visiting my uncle.

 

[nickglover]

At least for now, they are still planning a soft opening 11/8, but we were told the beach is presently closed. I checked some other sites, and one in particular concerning treasure hunters, and they indicate that law enforcement in various areas are keeping people off the beach, but that homeowners appear to be out on the beach.

I am not sure I want to go there if we cannot even walk on the beach. We may just cancel and go next year.

Hurricane Jeanne hit that area at low tide, which was a blessing, or the storm surge would have been much worse.

I think Disney is concentrating on restoring the rooms (carpets, windows, roofs, etc.) and that common areas, such as the walkway will take longer.

Long-term, I think the beach and the property will look better. There apparently was a beach renourishment project going on, I believe to the north. It basically involves anchoring a large dredging barge way off shore and then pumping sand and water through large metal pipes onto the beach. I don't think anything like that will start for awhile, if ever, but it takes months and there would be at least one huge metal pipe from the water onto the beach. It would be wonderful to see a large expanse of sand there one day, but everyone involved with these projects knows that another storm could completely wipe out the entire new beach. It has happened before up towards St Augustine and in other locations. However, I remember visiting Miami Beach as a kid in the 1960s and there was virtually no beach there, and now they have a wonderful white sand beach. That would be so nice at Vero!

 

[Par8hed]

I suspect the actual beach won't be up to snuff for a year or more.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Thanx for the link, Pam. Actually, I'm amazed any of the walkway is standing.

Shan, I think you will be a-okay in June. We are going in May, so I will make certain the resort is up-to-snuff for you!

MG

 

[lenshanem]

Thanks MG.

 

[scotth1042]

Thanks for this info and link. We bought Vero points this summer after spending a week there. It was an awesome vacation, we are hoping the repairs go well.

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Doug Wolfe
If Pam is right about the dredging to build up the beach, this may be a blessing in disguise. My mom has condo's in Seabright, NJ and Pompano Beach, Florida. Dredging at those locations in the past have made the beaches very large.

Who knows. We might have a much better beach at Vero once this is all over.

I remember huge differences in Pompano Beach due to dredging, a narrow beach becoming a very wide beach.

Listen, to those asking about next summer, in my opinion it's just a beach walkway, I've watched huge buildings make major progress going up in less than a week. That walkway could be fixed in a matter of days if Disney choose to. Have you ever seen them put in a major dock? And this is all on accessible beach, it can certainly be fixed.

 

[BobH]

http://www.ircgov.com/Beach_Report.pdf

 

[gopherit]

Originally posted by lenshanem
Your pic of your daughter out on the beach in your sig always makes me smile. She looks identical to a favorite younger cousin of mine.

Too funny -- I always look at the pic and see a very favorite niece of mine! My own kids have even beebopped into the computer room, seen the pic and said, "Why is Blair at the beach? And why didn't WE get to go with her?"

I know they say we all have a "double" out there somewhere... perhaps Maria's daughter has a "triple"?

<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZNxdm406' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_1_24.gif' alt='Bouncy 4' border=0></a>